Diagnostic Electrophysiology (EP) Study

Diagnostic EP Study

An arrhythmia is a disruption in the heart’s normal electrical system which causes an abnormal or irregular heart beat for no apparent reason. Anyone can develop an arrhythmia, even a young person without a previous heart condition. However, arrhythmias are most common in people over 65 who have heart damage caused by a heart attack, cardiac surgery or other conditions. There are many types of arrhythmias, including:

• Heartbeats that are too slow (bradycardia)
• Heartbeats that are too fast (tachycardia)
• Extra beats
• Skipped beats
• Beats coming from abnormal areas of the heart

An EP Study may be performed to determine the arrhythmias origination so that treatment options can be recommended. The EP study involves inserting several diagnostic catheters into the heart so that the physician can locate where the arrhythmia is originating. The electrophysiologist will then induce an arrhythmia (this is called pacing) by stimulating the heart’s electrical system. Once the arrhythmia has been induced, the doctor can begin to map the originations of the irregular heart beat and determine the best course of action.

Sometimes, a cardiac ablation procedure is performed at the same time as an EP study. Both procedures take place in an EP (or Cath) Lab and involve the placement of both diagnostic and ablation catheters to locate & ablate the tissue causing the arrhythmia.

This procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that involves local anesthesia and is usually performed on an outpatient basis.